"Okay. So what is my choice?"
"Ace knows a ritual."
"For me?"
"Yes, for you. He says he can make you immortal."
"Immortal. That's not possible," she objected. "I mean, mostly. We can elongate our lives. With certain spells. The elder members of the coven do it while they wait for someone else to become strong enough to step into their positions. But it doesn't last. Lasting immortality is..."
"Evil," I filled in for her, waiting for her to put the pieces together.
"You want me to become evil?"
"You would never become fully evil," I told her. "You would simply have some evil in you. You've already had some evil inside you," I added, lips curving up.
"Oh," she said, eyes going wide, lips parting, likely thinking of all the repercussions that came along with what we had done.
"You're not."
"Not what?"
"Pregnant."
"Demons can reproduce."
"Yes," I agreed. "But when we choose to."
"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "So, what happens? If I make that choice?"
"I give you some of my blood. You do the ritual. You become immortal."
"Does this happen before or after the other ritual?"
"After. No one knows if the ritual will strip you of your powers too. So we need that done first."
"But... but if I open the hell mouth, you will all go back to hell."
She didn't say it, but I heard it nonetheless.
You will leave me.
"No. According to Ace, I won't be able to go back."
"Because you Claimed me?"
"Yes. I will stay with you. Minos won't be able to go back either. We have to stay."
"Have to," she repeated.
"What?" I asked, something inside me responding to something in her, something sad.
"I have a question about this Claiming."
My stomach clenched, wondering if this was it, if she was rejecting me, if I would be cursed to a life of misery like Minos.
"Okay."
"Do you want it?"
"Do I want what?"
"Do you want to Claim me? Was that a choice? Or did it happen to you? Are you mad about it? Would you prefer it if it never happened?"
Oh, so that was it.
She was feeling insecure, unsure.
"I couldn't have Claimed you if I didn't want to," I told her. "I don't pretend to know the process, but I know it only happens if the desire for it is there."
Mine mine mine.
That was what that little voice had been saying in my head for a while now.
That was the Claiming beginning to make itself known.
Having sex with her had sealed it, making her mine in every way.
Mine mine mine.
For all of eternity.
If she took the deal.
"So you want me? And this?"
"Babe, I think we both know I want you," I told her, hands sinking into her hips, dragging her higher on my lap where my cock was already straining for her, like it always was when she was near.
Her breath caught, her eyes going heavy, but she shook her head. "That's not what I meant," she told me.
"I want you, babe. In every way. I can't change it. But, what's more, I don't want to change it."
"Stop," she demanded, breath starting to get fast.
"Stop what?"
"Looking at me like that."
She was already getting wet for me, that sweet smell flooding my nostrils.
"Can't help it. Lenore, no," I said when she wiggled against me, riding my cock through my pants. "Too soon."
"I need you. We have to. I can't think straight until I have you," she told me, whimpering a little when her clit moved over my cock.
I couldn't claim being noble came easily to me. And I only had a small amount of self-control with regard to her.
I knew it was probably too soon.
But with her looking at me like that, rocking against me like that, I couldn't deny her what she wanted as her hands moved between us, freeing my cock.
"No, like this," I demanded when she went to move off my body.
"Like this?" she repeated, brows furrowing.
"Lift up a little," I told her, waiting for her to do so, then grabbing my cock, sliding it up her wet pussy, getting it good and wet before I pushed it against the entrance to her body. "Now slide down," I demanded.
She did so.
A little too fast, not taking heed of her aching walls, letting out a cry as my cock filled her completely.
"Ouch," she said, taking a deep breath.
"Just ride me, babe," I demanded, rocking my hips. "Ride me, and it will feel all better."
Her hands went to my shoulders as she started to wiggle her hips. She started in slow circles, testing the sensations, then back and forth, then sliding up and down my length.
"Oh," she whimpered.
My legs cocked up behind her. "Lean back a little," I demanded, and she didn't hesitate to do so.
"Ohhh," she moaned when my cock started to press against her G-spot.
"Yeah," I agreed, moving my hips in circles as she rode me, one of my hands going between her thighs, working her clit as her walls started to tighten around me.